“And now, the end is near
And so I face, the final curtain
…Regrets, I’ve had a few
…I did it my way.”
Frank Sinatra’s soothing voice filled the ESPN Wide World Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida on January 14th, 2024. The Buckeyes’ red ties stood out sharp to the roaring crowd. These ties were used as a indicative props to tell the story fo the song My Way.The girls spread across the stage with hypnotic movements, drawing the audience in, closer and closer. The soon-to-be famous work of art stunned the crowd as the Buckeyes formatted a show-stopping routine. The red ties manipulated the audience’s view and their black suit jackets sent gasps to the crowd after every slam to the ground.
Travis Wall, the choreographer of the Buckeyes jazz dance, stated to the MA Chronicle, “This routine beautifully captured the pristine artistry of the dancers without sacrificing any advanced skill.”
Ivy Slavinski, a viewer of this performance, expressed, “It was exhilarating…” and continued to say, “The way they used their clothes [tie and jacket] and their bodies creates a chill-giving effect to the audience. How they could control the way the audience felt through their movements made me have a different understanding of dance.”
Before results were revealed, one Ohio State Dance senior stated on OSU social media platform, “I feel so proud of us. Like we said before we went on, we did things our way this year and we were not letting anyone else stop us. I am just so proud of us.”
Not soon after the girls left the stage, social media was booming with the Buckeyes. The My Way dance by OSU (Ohio State University) stormed the internet and took trending spots on TikTok and Instagram.
“For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels”
The dance sequence became a raging trend on social media where viewers tried to recreate this masterpiece in their own homes, recording themselves for comedy.
Even Though, Ohio State Dance team walked away with the gold trophy on January 14th, most believed it to be deserving, few did not.
Minnesota Golden Gophers were the runner ups to the Buckeyes during the Jazz Nationals Finals, where OSU scored a 98.9206 and Minnesota 98.4286. The 0.492 of a point separating these two amazing teams became controversial in the dance world.
Slavinski stated, “Although Minnesota had amazing skills and great timing, I think that there was more of a show put on by OSU they brought it [the dance] to the next level.”
Overall, both teams danced impeccably and the Ohio State Buckeyes Dance team, justifiably so, walked away from UDA Nationals chanting, “ We Did It OUR WAY!”
